Good Old Rock Cakes

These were once economy cakes, not too expensive, providing cake for large families. They were not going to be included in this edition – until, that is, we made some. And unbelievably they went down a storm. Perhaps we’ve got so used to bland shop-bought stuff that even something as simple as this tastes so very good.

Method

Mix the flour, salt, baking powder and sugar in a bowl, making sure you get all the little lumps out of the sugar, then add the spices and rub in the butter until the mixture looks like fine breadcrumbs.

Lastly, stir in the fruit.

Now break the egg into a separate bowl and whisk it lightly with a fork, then add it to the flour mixture.

Stir until the mixture forms a stiff dough (you may need to add a tablespoon of milk, though certainly not more than two).

Now, using two forks, pile the mixture in irregular spiky heaps on the baking sheet.

Bake near the centre of the oven for 18–20 minutes or until golden brown, then leave to cool for a minute on the tray before removing to a wire rack.